U.S. support for Ukraine does not affect its focus on the Indo-Pacific region, or limit its ability to ensure its Pacific partners receive hardware and supplies. they need, according to a senior defense official.
Most of the hardware supplied to Ukraine during the Pentagon briefing, the official said, was passed through the president’s regulatory agency – meaning it was obtained directly from military stockpiles. existence.
As of May 6, the United States has committed about $4.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Thousands of pieces of military equipment and more than 50 million rounds of ammunition were included.
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“We are taking the things on our inventory shelves and sending them directly to Ukraine,” the official said. “Most of the military capabilities, systems, weapons, platforms that our allies and partners in the Pacific use, they get through foreign military purchases… That’s it. a completely different set of priorities, a completely different set of sources.”
The US has provided more than 1,400 Stinger air defense systems; more than 5,500 Javelin anti-armor systems; 700 Switchblade tactical drone systems, 90 155 mm cannons and 208,000 155 mm shells; 17 counter-reaction radars; and more than 50,000,000 bullets for the Ukrainians.
“The president’s trip is positive proof of that, as well as everything else we’ve been doing in the Indo-Pacific,” the official said. “Everybody is focused on Ukraine, and we understand that. But that doesn’t mean we stop working with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, doesn’t mean we stop our air and naval operations in the Indo-Pacific – and We’ve been talking about it for the past 85 days. ”
